1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector with a plurality of side-by-side cavities and with a seal for water protection between the respective cavities.
2. Description of the Related Art
A prior art connector with a plurality of cavities and a seal for water protection between the cavities is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. 9-134756 and in FIGS. 7 to 9 of this application. The prior art connector includes female and male connectors 1 and 2 that are to be connected to each other. The prior art connector also includes a seal 3 that is held between the housings 1 and 2. The female housing 1 includes a plurality of cavities 8 for accommodating terminal fittings 4. Engaging projections 5 are formed on the engaging face of the female housing 1 and engaging recesses 6 are formed in the engaging face of the male housings 2. The engaging projections 5 of the female housing 1 are received in the engaging recesses 6 of the male housing 2 to provide water protection between the cavities 8 when the housings 1 and 2 are mated. Additionally, the seal 3 is formed with tubular cavity sealing portions 7 which can be fitted between the engaging projections 5 and the engaging recesses 6. The cavity sealing portions 7 are mounted on the outer surfaces of the engaging recesses 6, as shown in FIG. 8, and then are inserted into the engaging recesses 6 when the connectors 1, 2 are connected with each other, as shown in FIG. 9.
Sealing between the cavities 8 of the prior art connector is achieved by holding the cavity sealing portions 7 between the engaging projections 5 and the engaging recesses 6. Accordingly, sliding-contact resistance is created between the outer surfaces of the cavity sealing portions 7 and the inner surfaces of the engaging recesses 6 during the connection of the housings. This sliding-contact resistance is large because the sliding-contact surfaces extend over the entire outer circumferential surfaces of the cavity sealing portions 7 and the entire inner circumferential surfaces of the engaging recesses 6. Connection resistance of the connector also is large due to sliding resistance in each cavity. As a result, it often is difficult to connect the male and female connectors 1 and 2 completely.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problem, and an object of the invention is to provide a watertight connector that creates a reduced degree of connection resistance.
The subject invention is directed to a connector that comprises a connector housing with a terminal-accommodating portion. The terminal-accommodating portion is formed with a plurality of cavities for accommodating a corresponding plurality of first terminal fittings. At least one seal is provided on a front surface of the terminal-accommodating portion. The connector further includes a holder for holding the seal in contact with the opening ends of the cavities. The holder may be secured to the terminal-accommodating portion.
The connector may further comprise a mating connector housing that has a receptacle into which the terminal-accommodating portion can be fitted. The mating connector may comprise a plurality of second terminal fittings that penetrate through the seal for electrical connection with the corresponding first terminal fittings in the cavities. Thus the seal may be pierced by the second terminal fittings as the first and second connector housings are mated. The second terminal fittings may be tabs that project from a bottom surface of the receptacle.
The seal may be in the form of a substantially flat plate. Additionally, the seal can be provided on a front surface of the terminal-accommodating portion for preventing water from entering into any cavity. Portions of the seal member that are penetrated by the second terminal fittings preferably are adhered to the outer surfaces of the second terminal fittings.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a connector comprises a connector housing. The connector housing includes a terminal-accommodating portion with a plurality of cavities for accommodating female terminal fittings. A seal is provided on a front surface of the terminal-accommodating portion for preventing water from entering any cavity. The connector further comprises a mating connector housing with a receptacle into which the terminal-accommodating portion can be fit. A plurality of tabs project from a bottom surface of the receptacle, and penetrate through the seal for electrical connection with the corresponding female terminal fittings in the cavities. The seal may be in the form of a flat plate and may be adhered to opening ends of the cavities by being pushed against the front surface of the terminal-accommodating portion by a holder that is secured to the terminal-accommodating portion. Additionally, portions of the seal that are penetrated by the tabs are adhered to the outer surfaces of the tabs.
Accordingly, the holder adheres the seal to opening ends of the cavities at the front surface of the terminal-accommodating portion. The seal then is penetrated by the tabs and adheres to the outer surfaces of the tabs to provide sealing between the cavities. Thus, during the connection of the connector housings, resistance resulting from the sealing between the cavities is sliding-contact resistance created between the outer surfaces of the tabs and the seal member while the seal member is being penetrated through the tabs. This reduces sliding-contact surfaces and, accordingly, reduces sliding-contact resistance. Therefore, the connection resistance of the connector can be reduced.
The seal preferably is made of a gelatinous or elastic material through which the second terminal fittings can penetrate or pierce. The use of a gelatinous material enables the sliding-contact resistance to be low while the tabs penetrate the seal. Accordingly, the connection resistance of the connector can be reduced.
Sealing performance can be improved further because the seal is adhered to the outer surfaces of the second terminal fittings or tabs due to the viscosity of the gelatinous material.
The holder of the subject invention comprises a pressing portion in the form of a substantially flat plate formed with terminal or tab insertion holes. The seal is held between the pressing portion and the front surface of the terminal-accommodating portion, preferably in a compressed state. The holder further comprises securing portions to be secured to opposite outer side surfaces of the terminal-accommodating portion. Accordingly, the flat plate-like pressing portion presses the entire front surface of the seal. As a result, sealing performance is improved because the seal member is pressed uniformly and is adhered uniformly to the opening ends of the cavities and to the outer surfaces of the tabs.
The holder preferably comprises a surrounding wall for substantially surrounding the outer periphery of a front end of the terminal-accommodating portion. Accordingly, operability can be improved because the surrounding wall of the holder is guided to a proper position and is locked in the proper position during assembly.
An elastically deformable locking piece is formed in each cavity for locking the respective terminal fitting in the corresponding cavity. Additionally, the holder is formed integrally or unitarily with a retainer for restricting elastic deformation of the locking pieces in a disengaging direction by entering a deformation permitting space of the locking pieces. The integral or unitary construction of the holder and the retainer enables the number of parts to be reduced as compared with connectors in which a retainer is formed separately.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.